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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2000
Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240 (202) 523-3240 (202) 523-3240
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom wrote Friday, July 28 to Secretary of State Madeleine…
Laos Chapter - 2015 Annual ReportLaos Chapter - 2015 Annual Report (Lao Translation)
Laos Chapter - 2014 Annual Report
Laos Chapter - 2014 Annual Report (Lao Translation)
Laos Chapter - 2013 Annual Report
Laos Chapter Summary - 2013 Annual…
USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett made the following remarks at the announcement of the Defending Freedoms Project on December 6, 2012, a project of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, in conjunction with USCIRF and Amnesty International USA. …
Mar 18, 2013
FOR YOUR INFORMATIONMarch 18, 2013| By: Katrina Lantos Swett and M. Zuhdi Jasser
The following op-ed appeared in Roll Call on March 15, 2013.
While the world remains riveted to Egypt"s challenges and Syria"s…
Apr 30, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 30, 2013| By USCIRF
Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal advisory body created by the International Religious Freedom…
USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett gave the following remarks at a conference, cosponsored by USCIRF and the National Endowment for Democracy on May 7, 2013Introduction
Thank you for that kind introduction.
It truly is a pleasure to join you today at the…
…that the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, in conjunction with USCIRF and Amnesty International USA, has launched the Defending Freedoms Project to increase attention to and support for human rights and religious freedom around the world?Through the…
Apr 14, 2014
FOR YOUR INFORMATIONApril 14, 2014 | By Katrina Lantos Swett and M. Zuhdi Jasser
The following op-ed appeared in the Global Post on April 10, 2014.
WASHINGTON — Last week's Formula 1 automotive racing event…
Title
2025 Annual Report - Sri Lanka Chapter
File Upload
Sri Lanka 2025 USCIRF Annual Report.pdf
Language
English
Year
2025…
Sep 1, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As President Obama soon will visit Laos to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, the U.S. Commission on International…
The report documents ASEAN’s and the Member States’ approaches to the freedom of religion or belief, underscores the religious freedom-related challenges in the region that transcend country borders, and emphasizes the strategic importance of robust U.S…
Jun 24
WHEN:
Jun 24th 6:59pm…
On June 27, 2019, Vice Chair Nadine Maenza testified at a Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on violations of the right to freedom of religion of Christian communities around the world.Written Testimony
Hearing Webpage
Jul 24
WHEN:
Jul 24th 1:00pm
-
Jul 24th 1:00pm…
Feb 11
WHEN:
Feb 11th 10:30am…
Feb 13, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 13, 2020
USCIRF Releases New Reports on Religious Freedom Conditions in Bahrain and Iraq
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (…
Read the full report here.This report highlights improvements and notes areas of concern regarding religious freedom in Bahrain in 2019. While Bahrain continues to allow freedom of worship to most religious groups, Shi’a Bahrainis face systematic and…
Read the full report here.This report provides a country update on religious freedom conditions in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. In 2016, the Lao government updated its regulation of religious freedom with the Decree on Management and Protection…
May 6, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 6, 2020
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Conditions in Laos
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the…
Jun 9, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USCIRF Commends Bahrain for Release of Prisoner of Conscience Nabeel Rajab
Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today commended the government of…
Title
Bahrain Chapter - 2020 Arabic Translation
File Upload
Bahrain_Arabic_0.pdf
Language
Arabic
Year
2020…
Title
Laos Chapter - 2019 Lao Translation
File Upload
Laos 2019_Lao translation.pdf
Language
Lao
Year
2019…
May 7, 2013
USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett gave the following remarks at a conference, cosponsored by USCIRF and the National Endowment for Democracy on May 7, 2013
Introduction
Thank you for that kind introduction.
It…
Oct 23
WHEN:
Oct 23rd 3:00pm…
Aug 05
WHEN:
Aug 5th 10:30am…
Read the full Issue Update:
The Global Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses
This update describes official discrimination against Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world, with a particular focus on countries where members have been imprisoned for…
Click here for the Bahrain Country Update
This country update examines religious freedom conditions in Bahrain. Throughout 2020, Bahrain continued to systematically restrict religious freedom for its Shi’a Muslim population. The government…
Dec 17, 2020
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Conditions in Bahrain
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on religious…
Jun 4, 2021
For the first time in years, Bahrain was not included in the list of countries that USCIRF recommends for the State Department’s Special Watch List (SWL). The government of Bahrain has made incremental improvements…
Jun 23
WHEN:
Jun 23rd 10:30am…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Laos
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2019 Annual Report
Thematic Area: Laws
Recommendation:Urge the Lao government to Amend Decree 315 in order to clarify administrative procedures and…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Laos
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2019 Annual Report
Thematic Area: Funding
Recommendation:Support programs that increase understanding and awareness of Lao government policies and…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Laos
Recommended To: U.S. Congress
Source: 2019 Annual Report
Thematic Area: Diplomacy
Recommendation:Send regular congressional delegations to Laos and hold hearings focused on religious freedom and…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Laos
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2020 Annual Report
Thematic Area: IVLP
Recommendation:The United States should provide more opportunities through IVLP for Lao government officials and…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Laos
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2020 Annual Report
Thematic Area: Funding
Recommendation:U.S. government increase support for such programs in order to build upon the recent improvements…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2019 Annual Report
Recommendation:Urge the Bahraini government to clarify the terms and enforcement of the 2016 amendment to article 5 of the 2005 Political…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2019 Annual Report
Recommendation:Work with the Bahraini government to continue to implement reforms consistent with the Bahrain Indepen-dent Commission of…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2019 Annual Report
Recommendation:Press the Bahraini government to enforce existing laws, including Royal Decree 36 of 2012 and Royal Decree 95 of 2018,…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2019 Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue to train security officials, prosecutors, and judges to better address sectarian violence and incitement by enhancing…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2019 Annual Report
Recommendation:Press Bahrain’s government to ensure freedom of religion and reduce sec-tarian incitement by passing the bill pending in the…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2019 Bahrain Country Update
Recommendation:Release an updated assessment of the Bahraini government’s implementation of the BICI reportrecommendations, with a…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2019 Bahrain Country Update
Recommendation:Continue to provide guidance and training for Bahrain’s security services to prepare for Ashura observances in ways…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: U.S. Congress
Source: 2019 Bahrain Country Update
Recommendation:Continue to conduct periodic fact-finding missions and congressional delegation trips to Bahrain to assess religious…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2020 Annual Report
Recommendation:Include Bahrain on the U.S. Department of State’s Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2020 Annual Report
Recommendation:Publish an updated assessment of Bahrain’s compliance with the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report, with…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2020 Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue to provide guidance and training for Bahrain’s security services to prepare for Ashura observances in ways that protect…
Status: partially_implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: U.S. Congress
Source: 2020 Annual Report
Recommendation:Highlight in religious freedom and human rights-related hearings and other official proceedings Bahrain’s treatment of…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2020 Bahrain Country Update
Recommendation:The United States should continue to raise these restrictions on religious freedom with Bahrain’s government…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Bahrain
Recommended To: U.S. Congress
Recommendation:When the next administration nominates a new U.S. ambassador to Bahrain, Congress should examine as part of the confirmation process what steps they will take…
Laos’ Decree 315 Factsheet – This factsheet assesses the religious freedom implications of Decree 315, the implementation of the decree, as well as the ongoing internal review conducted by the government of Laos. Issued in 2016, Decree 315 was an…
Sep 16, 2021
USCIRF Releases Factsheet on Laos’ Decree 315
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report highlighting the religious freedom implications of Laos’ Decree on…
Sri Lanka is a diverse country where complex ethno-religious divisions contribute to tension among the various communities. Despite protections guaranteed by the constitution and international law, Muslims and other religious minorities suffer abusive…
Nov 16, 2021
The United Nations marks November 16 each year as the International Day for Tolerance. Religious tolerance is one key component of tolerance overall. Governments in the Middle East have increasingly espoused a doctrine of religious tolerance…
This report provides an overview of religious freedom conditions in Sri Lanka in 2022. This past year, the country sank into a severe economic crisis that precipitated a serious lack of fuel and basic necessities. As a result of this crisis and overall…
Tolerance, Religious Freedom, and Authoritarianism – This report details how authoritarian states promote religious tolerance without necessarily ensuring freedom of religion or belief. It distinguishes between these two concepts and explains the…
Dec 13, 2022
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Tolerance Promotion and Religious Freedom
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Tolerance, Religious Freedom…
Jan 5, 2023
Authoritarian states promote religious tolerance without necessarily ensuring freedom of religion or belief. Last month, USCIRF released a report distinguishing between these two concepts and explains the origins of religious tolerance…
May 1, 2023
USCIRF Releases 2023 Annual Report Highlighting Worsening Religious Freedom Conditions Around the World
Includes new recommendations of Cuba and Nicaragua as Countries of Particular Concern and Sri Lanka for the Special Watch List
Washington,…
View the 2023 Annual Report
Highlights from USCIRF’s 2023 Annual Report
Numbers-at-a-Glance
17 countries recommended for “country of particular concern” (CPC) designation
2 new countries recommended for CPC designation
11…
May 15, 2023
USCIRF Welcomes the Release of State Department’s 2022 International Religious Freedom Report
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commends the State Department…
Gender:
Female
Perpetrator:
Sri Lanka
Religion or Belief:
Unspecified
Reports of Torture:
No
Reports of Medical…
May 3, 2023
This op-ed was originally published by Religion News Service on May 3, 2023.
By USCIRF Chair Nury Turkel & Vice Chair Abraham Cooper
Denying religious freedom and women’s rights go hand-in-hand.
Over the…
Sep 14, 2023
USCIRF Releases Updated Blasphemy Factsheet and Blasphemy Law Compendium
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released two new reports:
Legislation Factsheet on Blasphemy – This…
In October 1998, the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) elevated freedom of religion or belief as a U.S. foreign policy priority. This landmark law mandates that U.S. policy include condemning violations of religious freedom abroad and assisting…
Oct 31, 2023
USCIRF Delegation Travels to Sri Lanka to Assess Religious Freedom Conditions
Washington, DC – United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Commissioners Stephen Schneck and David Curry traveled with staff to Colombo,…
This report documents the text of the 73 national anti-conversion laws on the books around the world. In total, 46 countries have at least one national anti-conversion law in force. Four types of national anti-conversion laws are documented: anti-…
Nov 28, 2023
USCIRF Releases Report on National Level Anti-Conversion Laws around the World
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Compendium of National Anti-…
Jan 4, 2024
USCIRF Calls for Congressional Hearing after State Department Fails to Designate Nigeria and India as Countries of Particular Concern
Azerbaijan Added to State Department’s Special Watch List
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on…
May 1, 2024
USCIRF Releases 2024 Annual Report with New Recommendations for U.S. Policy
Highlights State of Religious Freedom Abroad after 25 Years of IRFA
Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today…
Highlights from USCIRF’s 2024 Annual Report
Numbers-at-a-Glance
17 countries recommended for “country of particular concern” (CPC) designation
1 new country recommended for CPC designation
11 countries recommended for the State Department’s “Special…
This report provides an overview of the current religious freedom conditions in Sri Lanka and key observations from USCIRF’s 2023 delegation to the country, such as religiously motivated land disputes, registration challenges, and the use of…
Jun 27, 2024
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka
Washington, DC –The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Sri Lanka Country Update – This report provides an…
Mar 25, 2025
USCIRF Releases 2025 Annual ReportWashington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released its 2025 Annual Report. The report documents religious freedom conditions in 2024 and recommends policy…
Highlights from USCIRF’s 2025 Annual ReportNumbers-at-a-Glance16 countries recommended for “country of particular concern” (CPC) designation12 countries recommended for the State Department’s “Special Watch List” (SWL)7 entities recommended…
Sep 25, 2025
Congress Takes Encouraging, Bipartisan Steps on International Religious Freedom Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the introduction of H.Res 738. This resolution demonstrates…
Dec 23, 2025
USCIRF Welcomes SEAS Envoy Confirmation, Urges Further ConfirmationsWashington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the Senate’s confirmation of Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun as United…